One of the positives to come out of Celtic’s Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren at Hampden was the performance of Daizen Maeda.
The Japan star’s situation at Celtic this season has been well-documented, after wanting to leave the club last summer.
That didn’t happen, and Maeda just hasn’t been himself all season long, but is he now timing his return to form to perfection, as Neil Lennon highlighted at Hampden?
“He’s looking more and more like his old self,” stated Lennon. “A very, very important player now for Martin O’Neill in the running.”
Is Daizen Maeda returning to form for the title run-in?
Neil Lennon thinks so…
Is Daizen Maeda returning to form for Celtic?
One massive advantage Celtic have over their title rivals is the fact that many of the players and coaching staff have been through all of this before.
Large sections of the Hearts and Rangers dressing rooms can’t say the same.
But the issue with the champions of Scotland has been the fact that their proven stars haven’t performed, for one reason or another.
That includes Scotland’s PFA Player of the Year for the previous campaign, but as Lennon rightfully pointed out, that spark is returning to Maeda’s game.
Celtic scoring inside a minute due to the fact that Maeda pressed the St Mirren goalkeeper like a caged tiger summed him up, and Lennon was right to give the all-action forward his flowers on Premier Sports.
Lennon: “That man in the picture (Maeda Man of the Match), he started the ball rolling for Celtic.
“He has been a constant thorn in St Mirren’s side all day, and he has come up with an assist for Nygren as well in extra time for the fifth goal.
“He’s looking more and more like his old self. A very, very important player now for Martin O’Neill in the running.”
Alan Hutton: “He is looking back at it. Just his energy levels. Sprinting back. You have seen his quality on show. It’s about now until the end of the season to produce the same kind of performance, that’s exactly what Celtic would want to see.”
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